Leveraging Learning Theory and Learning Management Systems in Higher Education: The Critical Role of Instructor Facilitation

Learning Theory, Facilitation And A Case Study

As higher education contends with increasing costs and the perception of decreasing returns in terms of learning perceived as useful in applied settings (Arum & Roksa, 2011; Kamenetz, 2010), educators in post-secondary institutions are moving away from rote learning and behaviorist learning processes and toward the collaborative, knowledge-building approach recommended by constructivist and social-cognitive learning theories. As this occurs, traditional structures in higher education that involved strict ordering of learning materials are giving way to more organically structured learning experiences involving a rich mixture of diverse technologies, experiential learning opportunities, collaborations between learners, and the new role of teacher as facilitator and guide as opposed to information-distributor.